It is set for release August 15, 2008 and published by Cengage Course Technology. The book focuses on pure game design, and its challenges do not require any specialized technical knowledge or technology. You can do these challenges at workshops, design meetings, in the classroom or at parties (we know some serious geeks) with equal ease.

The book is ideal for:

Experienced game designers looking to expand their skill set

Aspiring game designers looking to learn more about game design

Educators looking for game design experiences for the classroom which don’t require specialized knowledge

Game designers, like other artists, get better with practice. “Challenges for Game Designers” is a series of creative exercises based on real-world problems, allowing the aspiring and practicing game designer to hone their craft without taking the time and risk inherent in a full game development project. Each chapter and its exercises contains a significant primer on a particular type of game design, too.

While most books in this field admit that a game designer must regularly design games, no other book gives the reader, whether student or professional, a starting place to practice their essential skills. “Challenges for Game Designers” is all about practice, making it an essential book on any designer’s shelf.